


We've not yet lost all our graces

by tisktisk (PornyZiallFeels)



Series: Loving You Is Easy [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, bg lirry-mentioned, first meeting fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-09
Updated: 2014-03-09
Packaged: 2018-01-13 19:58:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1238956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PornyZiallFeels/pseuds/tisktisk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall and Louis meet in the flat screen section of an Asda.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We've not yet lost all our graces

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of ten or eleven one-shots. 
> 
> p.s I wrote this assuming that an Asda was similar to a Walmart so hopefully Asdas actually have a flat screen section lol.

They were barely a day into their second year of Uni when Liam cursed under his breath and nudged Niall's feet off the desk where he'd been raptly watching the Arsenal versus Derby match and not at all lifting a finger towards unpacking or getting settled into their dorm room.

  
"Hey what's the big idea Payno?" Niall cried out, swaying comically from side to side in an attempt to see the TV from around Liam.

  
"I forgot my USB cord back home."

  
"And?" Niall asked distracted, cringing when a Derby player's shot went wide, careening off the goal post and giving Arsenal the opportunity to take possession of the ball easily.

  
" _And_ I can't take advantage of the school's free internet if I’m not connected now can I?" Niall sucked his teeth, really wishing Liam would sit the fuck back down or at the very least move from in front of the game.

  
"Aw shit, ya can borrow mine then, whatever just let me watch in peace yeah?" Liam stayed quiet long enough for Niall to huff out an annoyed breath and finally tear his eyes away from the television only to see the patent  _Payne puppy eyes ™_  that even after a year of friendship Niall still hadn't figured out how to build up an immunity to.

  
"But I can't very well use your cord the entire year now can I?" Niall rubbed a frustrated hand over his face once, twice before groaning.

  
"No but how about just for the night or better yet just until this match is over?" He tried to reason but Liam just added a jutted lower lip to the mix and before the blonde knew it they were in Liam's tin can on wheels he called a car headed to the nearest Asda.

  
After having to trek for what felt like a mile to the store's entrance because Liam had a penchant for finding the furthest parking spot in the car park, claiming that the exercise wouldn't kill him, the sweat trickling down the back of Niall's neck and heaving chest would argue otherwise but knowing this was a battle he was never going to win he decided it was best to stay mum on the matter.

  
As they enter the store Niall quickly finds the perfect moment to wander off, not relishing the thought of tagging along side his mate's shopping trolley like a bloody tot and instead found his way over to the electronics section, hoping against all hope that at least one of the many flat screens would be tuned to the match.

  
He isn't disappointed either when he finds _every_ TV turned to the game, some delayed by a few seconds which was fucking up the commentary a bit but once he moved further down the aisle he could barely hear the off one and saw that he hadn't missed much thankfully, as the score was still stuck on a pair of goose eggs.

  
It isn't long before Niall forgets where he is and when an Arsenal player nearly barrels over one of Derby's own he's shouting a couple of choice words at the screen, commending the ref on the free kick call.

  
He's just gotten finished yelling instructions to the players as if they could actually hear him or summat when someone speaks up beside him, making him jump.

  
"Don't tell me you're actually rooting  _for_  Derby County?"

  
"Yeah I am what of it?" Niall bristled with an edge to his voice, not even bothering to drag his eyes away from the TV screen.

  
"S'nothing just thought Derby fans were a dying breed is all." At this Niall does look away, only to find a slight boy with blue eyes and a neat pixie-like fringe hanging over his right eye and grinning as though he's got a secret.

  
"Yeah well me Da cheers fer the Rams, as did his Da and so on...s'tradition."

"I get that, respect it even." The smaller boy admitted with a nod.

"So who do you root for then, Arsenal?" Niall couldn't help but sneer the last word, no matter that it could potentially make him an enemy. But to his relief the brunette made as if he were going to be sick.

  
"Heavens no, do bite your tongue kind sir...I’m strictly Man U proper." Niall couldn't help but snort, taking in the other boy's accent fully and realized he should've known.

"Figures."

"How very dare you, now I feel I must cheer Arsenal on principle." Niall snorted.

"You do that; let me know how it feels to root for the _losers_ yeah?"

"Don't you already know the feeling all too well?" The boy taunted, batting falsely innocent eyes.

"Get fucked ya wanker, it's so on now." Niall growled but his friendly smile belied his anger as he and the boy shook hands right there in the middle of the flat screen section of Asda.

He spared a fleeting thought to Liam and how he might be looking for him but then remembered that this was  _Liam_ , he may have said he was only coming here for a USB cord but Niall knew better'n to believe him after a year of rooming together already under his belt, he wasn't fooled in the least besides he'd spied the list Liam tried hiding from him as they were leaving their dorm room.

By the fifteen minute mark Arsenal were still giving it to Derby hard and mean but in the end they couldn't hold on and Derby was ahead one-nil. Niall found himself seated in a fold up lawn chair with a built in cup holder that his companion had gone and fetched for him during a commercial break, a bag of white cheddar popcorn in his lap and a can of Pepsi in his hand (also provided by his new mate) while the other boy sat in what looked like a inflatable princess chair beside him.

When the match ended Niall jumped to his feet, casually stretching his arms up to the ceiling with a smug smile teasing the corners of his mouth as he turned to the copper haired boy, more than ready for a little gloating on Derby’s behalf because his boys had earned it.

"Well that was a class game; you really know yer way around a pitch could make for an ace footie announcer I reckon." The boy just shook his head chuckling.

"Thanks mate, and hey rooting for the Gunners didn't cause me to burst into flames like I feared it would so that's good, but I suppose if it had it would've been well worth it if it meant crushing your beloved Rams." Niall has never been above sticking his tongue out at someone, so he did just that.

  
"Too bad they got spanked in the end ey?" The smaller boy made a few grumbling noises and without warning his hand shot out to tweak one of Niall's nipples making the blonde yelp in outrage. He was about to ask if the other boy were mad when Liam turned the corner, his eyes lighting up with relief as he spotted Niall.

  
Niall pretended not to notice the shopping trolley full of odds and ends as the older boy wheeled over to them.

  
"Niall, mate I’ve been looking all over for you." He rolled his eyes.

  
"There's this thing called a mobile Liam." Liam rolled his eyes right back.

  
"I know and I've tried calling you half a dozen times at  _least!_ " Niall fetched his iPhone from out of his jacket pocket and blushed as he eyed the black screen, realizing it was dead.

  
"Uh, oops?" Liam rolled his eyes _harder_ before turning to eye Niall's new friend curiously.

  
"What's all this then and who are you?" He asked, gesturing to the makeshift tailgate party they'd set up in the middle of the children's DVD section.

  
"Just watching a bit of footie while you did yer shopping yeah? This here is uh..." Niall trailed off realizing that he didn't have the faintest idea what his fellow football enthusiast's name was.

  
"Louis." Louis offered helpfully.

  
"Lou huh? Well I'm Niall, I guess." Niall said sheepishly rubbing at the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his as he realized how dumb he sounded. This made Liam's eyebrows rise because the blonde usually only behaved this way when he was around someone he fancied...which usually tended to be females.

  
"You  _guess_?" Louis repeated, in what Niall thought was a flirty tone.

  
"I'm Niall." He corrected sounding much surer, causing the slighter boy to grin.

  
"Nice to meet ya." Liam eyed the two boys with amusement before clearing his throat regretfully.

"Alright now that that's all settled what have you to say for all this?" He asked, again pointing to the chairs and junk food.

  
"Erm..."Niall started but was quickly interrupted by Louis' own booming voice.

  
"Well I believe it's about 20 quid for the Disney princess inflatable seat, 35.95 for the camper chair. Two pounds each for the cokes and 1.40 for the bag of popcorn. Will that be cash or credit?" Louis asked, with a charming smile, moving so that he now stood at the register.

Niall blinked shocked eyes at him.

  
"Wait, are you serious?"

  
"Well, I can't just put all this back on the shelf after we've _used_ it Niall, especially not the food now can I?" The blonde sputtered.

  
"You _work_ here?" Louis pulled a confused face before glancing down at his chest and rolling his eyes and simultaneously palming his own head in embarrassment as he pulled his workers badge from inside his shirt.

  
"Yes, sorry about that...I’m the electronics department manager actually." He informed them, flicking at his laminated name tag for emphasis.

"Can I interest you in purchasing that fine forty-two inch screen we just watched the match on then? We've already established it's got a great picture and sound quality no?" Niall couldn't help but cackle at that, gathering up their garbage and the two chairs before approaching the register as well.

  
"Naw think it's far above our price range being lowly Uni students and all but you can add all this to Liam's bill yeah?" He said indicating the chairs, mostly finished popcorn and empty soda cans.

  
"Excuse me?" Liam said in protest, watching in near horror as Louis did just that ringing up the items before getting started on the things in Liam's trolley.

  
"Hmm, alright shall I give my phone number to him as well then? Think he'd be up for a bit of footie chatter?" Louis asked idly not looking up as he scanned and bagged up all Liam's purchases.

  
The blonde shrugged not at all bothered by the thought that Louis might actually be more interested in Liam because for one the smaller boy hadn't stopped sneaking glances at _him_ since he moseyed over to the register and secondly Liam was very much already taken.

  
"You can try it and see though mate, he's pretty rubbish at all things sport and spoken for, though I dunno you're well fit I reckon you could probably convince Hazza into a three-way."

  
 _"Niall!"_  Liam chastised, his face nearly gone purple in embarrassment, but all Niall could do was throw his head back and laugh.

  
"Well in that case I think I’ll just give you my number instead, never did quite get the hang of sharing back in primary school." Louis finished with a wink.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading <3


End file.
